The Angels–Rangers rivalry is a Major League Baseball (MLB) divisional rivalry played between the Los Angeles Angels and the Texas Rangers as both teams play in the American League West Division. The rivalry has been said to have developed over a domination in the division between the two teams, and also in recent years more animosity between the two teams due to multiple players who have played for both, including Nolan Ryan, Mike Napoli, Darren Oliver, Vladimir Guerrero, C. J. Wilson, and Josh Hamilton. Both teams often fought for control of the division, primarily during the 2000s and 2010s though both teams entered the present decade fighting for relevance as neither side has appeared in the postseason since 2016. The Angels and Rangers have each pitched a perfect game against each other, making them the only pair of MLB teams to have done so.

Mike Witt Michael Atwater Witt (born July 20, 1960) is a former American professional baseball pitcher. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball between 1981 and 1993, and threw the 11th perfect game in MLB history in 1984. Amateur career Prior to h ...

pitched a perfect game for the Angels against the Rangers in 1984 at Arlington Stadium and Kenny Rogers for the Rangers against the Angels in 1994. Both teams have yet to face each other in the postseason, the Angels currently lead the series all time 513–493.

History

When the original Washington Senators announced their move to Minnesota to become the Twins in

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba ( Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 ...

, Major League Baseball decided to expand a year earlier than planned to stave off the twin threats of competition from the proposed Continental League and loss of its exemption from the Sherman Antitrust Act. As part of the expansion, the American League added two expansion teams for the season–the Los Angeles Angels and a new Washington Senators team. The new Senators and Angels began competing to fill their rosters with American League players in an expansion draft. Following an apathetic fan response in Washington, owner Bob Short would relocate the Rangers to Arlington in 1972, while the Angels managed to move into a new ballpark in 1966. Both teams struggled mightily in their first 2 decades as expansion teams, though both would tie for second place in 1978. The Angels would not appear in the postseason until 1979, while the Rangers would not make a postseason appearance until 1996. Both teams were tied for second place of the division in 1998, however; the Angels would lose 2/4 games against the Athletics and find themselves swept by the Rangers for the final two games of the season, eliminating them from playoff contention. The Rangers would find themselves swept in both 1998 and 1999 by the Yankees, then fail to make a playoff appearance from 2000 to 2010, eventually making back-to-back appearances in both the

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

, and

2011 World Series The 2011 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2011 season. The 107th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Texas Rangers and the Nation ...

. Meanwhile the Angels managed a shocking appearance in the

2002 World Series The 2002 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB)'s 2002 season. The 98th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Anaheim Angels and the National Leag ...

, beating the San Francisco Giants and securing the franchise's first and only World Series title, though they would begin to struggle mightily under new owner Arte Moreno as the team found themselves losing three times to the Boston Red Sox in 2004, 2007, and 2008. Though the Angels would also manage an appearance in the

2009 ALCS The 2009 American League Championship Series (ALCS), the second round of the 2009 American League playoffs, was a best-of-seven game series matching the two winners of the 2009 American League Division Series. The AL East Division champions, th ...

, they would fall to the Yankees in six games. In 2012, then-Angels' pitcher

C.J. Wilson Christopher John Wilson (born November 18, 1980) is an American auto racing team owner and former professional baseball pitcher. Wilson pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers from 2005 to 2011 and the Los Angeles Angels of ...

played a practical joke on his former Rangers teammate Mike Napoli by tweeting his phone number. Enraged, Napoli began to exchange words with Wilson during the pregame warmups on May 19. The feuds go back to two incidents between Angels second baseman Adam Kennedy and Rangers catcher Gerald Laird trading insults, leading to benches clearing in a brawl between both teams. The Rangers managed two more appearances in the ALDS, but lost both times to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Angels have not posted a winning season since they appeared in the 2014 ALDS in which they were swept by the

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...

, meanwhile the Rangers managed a return to the postseason in 2023 after seven years out of contention.

Season-by-season results

, - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 108 , style=";" , Angels, 63 , style=";" , Senators, 54 , style=";" , Angels
63 , First season for Angels and this edition of Senators , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 117 , style=";" , Angels, 54 , style=";" , Angels, 63 , style=";" , Angels
2115 , Senators open

District of Columbia Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, commonly known as RFK Stadium and originally known as District of Columbia Stadium, is a defunct multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C. It is located about due east of the United States Capitol, U.S. Capit ...

, - , , Tie , 99 , style=";" , Angels, 63 , style=";" , Senators, 63 , style=";" , Angels
3024 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 108 , style=";" , Angels, 63 , style=";" , Senators, 54 , style=";" , Angels
4032 , , - , , style=";" , Senators , style=";" , 126 , style=";" , Senators, 63 , style=";" , Senators, 63 , style=";" , Angels
4644 , Angels rename to "California Angels" with a month of the season remaining , - , , style=";" , Senators , style=";" , 117 , style=";" , Angels, 54 , style=";" , Senators, 72 , style=";" , Senators
5553 , Angels relocate to Anaheim and open Angel Stadium , - , , style=";" , Senators , style=";" , 126 , style=";" , Senators, 54 , style=";" , Senators, 72 , style=";" , Senators
6759 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 126 , style=";" , Angels, 72 , style=";" , Angels, 54 , style=";" , Senators
7371 , , - , , style=";" , Senators , style=";" , 75 , Tie, 33 , style=";" , Senators, 42 , style=";" , Senators
8076 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 75 , Tie, 33 , style=";" , Angels, 42 , style=";" , Senators
8583 , , - , , style=";" , Senators , style=";" , 84 , style=";" , Senators, 42 , style=";" , Senators, 42 , style=";" , Senators
9387 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 107 , style=";" , Angels, 62 , style=";" , Rangers, 54 , style=";" , Rangers
10097 , Senators relocate to Arlington, Texas and rebrand as the "Texas Rangers" and play at Arlington Stadium , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 117 , style=";" , Angels, 72 , style=";" , Rangers, 54 , style=";" , Angels
108107 , , - , , Tie , 99 , style=";" , Angels, 54 , style=";" , Rangers, 54 , style=";" , Angels
117116 , , - , , Tie , 99 , style=";" , Angels, 54 , style=";" , Rangers, 54 , style=";" , Angels
126125 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 126 , style=";" , Angels, 63 , style=";" , Angels, 63 , style=";" , Angels
138131 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 105 , Tie, 44 , style=";" , Rangers, 61 , style=";" , Angels
143141 , AL expansion reduces season series to 15 meetings per year , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 105 , style=";" , Angels, 43 , style=";" , Rangers, 71 , style=";" , Rangers
151148 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 85 , style=";" , Angels, 43 , style=";" , Rangers, 51 , style=";" , Rangers
159153 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 112 , style=";" , Angels, 51 , style=";" , Angels, 61 , style=";" , Angels
164161 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 42 , style=";" , Rangers, 21 , style=";" , Rangers, 21 , style=";" , Angels
166165 , Strike-shortened season , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 85 , style=";" , Angels, 51 , style=";" , Rangers, 43 , style=";" , Angels
174170 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 76 , style=";" , Rangers, 43 , Tie, 33 , style=";" , Angels
180177 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 85 , style=";" , Rangers, 51 , style=";" , Angels, 43 , Tie
185185 , Angels'

pitches a perfect game against the Rangers , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 94 , style=";" , Angels, 52 , style=";" , Angels, 42 , style=";" , Angels
194189 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 85 , style=";" , Angels, 42 , style=";" , Angels, 43 , style=";" , Angels
202194 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 85 , style=";" , Rangers, 52 , Tie, 33 , style=";" , Angels
207202 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 85 , style=";" , Angels, 42 , style=";" , Angels, 43 , style=";" , Angels
215207 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 76 , style=";" , Angels, 43 , style=";" , Rangers, 42 , style=";" , Angels
221214 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 85 , style=";" , Angels, 42 , style=";" , Angels, 43 , style=";" , Angels
229219 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 85 , style=";" , Rangers, 43 , style=";" , Rangers, 42 , style=";" , Angels
234227 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 94 , style=";" , Angels, 42 , style=";" , Angels, 52 , style=";" , Angels
243231 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 76 , style=";" , Angels, 43 , style=";" , Rangers, 42 , style=";" , Angels
249238 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 64 , style=";" , Angels, 21 , style=";" , Angels, 43 , style=";" , Angels
255242 , Rangers open The Ballpark in Arlington.
Rangers' Kenny Rogers' perfect game.
Strike-shortened season. Strike cancels postseason. , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 76 , style=";" , Angels, 43 , style=";" , Rangers, 42 , style=";" , Angels
261249 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 94 , style=";" , Rangers, 42 , style=";" , Rangers, 52 , style=";" , Angels
265258 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 84 , Tie, 33 , style=";" , Angels, 51 , style=";" , Angels
273262 , Angels rename to "Anaheim Angels" , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 75 , style=";" , Rangers, 42 , Tie, 33 , style=";" , Angels
278269 , Angels' Anaheim Stadium renamed

Edison International Field of Anaheim Angel Stadium of Anaheim is a baseball stadium located in Anaheim, California. Since its opening in 1966 California Angels season, 1966, it has served as the home ballpark of the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB), and was also th ...

, - , , Tie , 66 , Tie, 33 , Tie, 33 , style=";" , Angels
284275 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 75 , Tie, 33 , style=";" , Angels, 42 , style=";" , Angels
291280 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 127 , Tie, 55 , style=";" , Rangers, 72 , style=";" , Angels
298292 , MLB changed to an unbalanced schedule in 2001, resulting in 19–20 meetings per year , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 127 , style=";" , Angels, 72 , Tie, 55 , style=";" , Angels
310299 , Angels win

, - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 109 , style=";" , Angels, 64 , style=";" , Rangers, 63 , style=";" , Angels
319309 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 109 , style=";" , Rangers, 54 , Tie, 55 , style=";" , Angels
328319 , Angels' Edison International Field of Anaheim renamed Angel Stadium of Anaheim , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 154 , style=";" , Angels, 81 , style=";" , Angels, 73 , style=";" , Angels
343323 , Angels rename to "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim"
Rangers' The Ballpark in Arlington renamed

Ameriquest Field in Arlington Choctaw Stadium, formerly Globe Life Park, is an American multi-purpose stadium in Arlington, Texas, between Dallas and Fort Worth. Originally built as a baseball stadium, it was home to the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball and the T ...

, - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 118 , style=";" , Angels, 64 , style=";" , Angels, 54 , style=";" , Angels
354331 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 109 , style=";" , Angels, 63 , style=";" , Rangers, 64 , style=";" , Angels
364340 , Rangers' Ameriquest Field in Arlington renamed Rangers Ballpark in Arlington , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 127 , Tie, 55 , style=";" , Angels, 72 , style=";" , Angels
376347 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 118 , Tie, 55 , style=";" , Rangers, 63 , style=";" , Angels
384358 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 109 , style=";" , Angels, 63 , style=";" , Rangers, 73 , style=";" , Angels
393368 , Rangers lose

2010 World Series The 2010 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2010 season. The 106th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Texas Rangers and the Nati ...

, - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 127 , style=";" , Rangers, 73 , style=";" , Rangers, 54 , style=";" , Angels
400380 , Rangers lose

, - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 109 , style=";" , Angels, 54 , Tie, 55 , style=";" , Angels
410389 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 154 , style=";" , Rangers, 63 , style=";" , Rangers, 91 , style=";" , Angels
414404 , Both AL and NL having balanced teams leads to a balanced schedule of 19 games per season. , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 145 , style=";" , Angels, 54 , style=";" , Angels, 91 , style=";" , Angels
428409 , Rangers' Rangers Ballpark in Arlington renamed Globe Life Park in Arlington , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 127 , style=";" , Angels, 54 , style=";" , Angels, 73 , style=";" , Angels
440416 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 109 , style=";" , Angels, 64 , style=";" , Rangers, 63 , style=";" , Angels
449426 , Angels name reverts to "Los Angeles Angels" , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 118 , style=";" , Rangers, 64 , style=";" , Rangers, 54 , style=";" , Angels
457437 , , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 136 , style=";" , Angels, 72 , style=";" , Angels, 64 , style=";" , Angels
470443 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 109 , style=";" , Angels, 63 , style=";" , Rangers, 73 , style=";" , Angels
479453 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 64 , style=";" , Angels, 31 , style=";" , Rangers, 51 , style=";" , Angels
483459 , Season shortened to 60 games (with 10 meetings) due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Rangers open Globe Life Field , - , , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 118 , style=";" , Angels, 54 , style=";" , Angels, 64 , style=";" , Angels
494467 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 109 , style=";" , Angels, 54 , style=";" , Rangers, 64 , style=";" , Angels
503477 , , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 76 , style=";" , Rangers, 42 , style=";" , Angels, 43 , style=";" , Angels
509484 , Schedule structure modified this season to allow every team to play one series against every interleague team. Shortening meetings from 19 to 13 games
Rangers win 2023 World Series , - , , style=";" , Rangers , style=";" , 94 , style=";" , Rangers, 51 , style=";" , Rangers, 43 , style=";" , Angels
513493 , , - , , , , ''Upcoming, July 710, 2830'' , ''Upcoming, April 1517, August 2527'' , , , - , Los Angeles Angels vs Washington Senators , style=";" , Senators , style=";" , 9387 , style=";" , Angels, 5040 , style=";" , Senators, 5337 , , - , Los Angeles Angels vs Texas Rangers , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 426400 , style=";" , Angels, 227179 , style=";" , Rangers, 221199 , , - , Overall Regular season games , style=";" , Angels , style=";" , 513493 , style=";" , Angels, 277219 , style=";" , Rangers, 274236 ,

Connections between the teams

References

;Inline citations Major League Baseball rivalries Los Angeles Angels Texas Rangers (baseball) {{DEFAULTSORT:Angels-Rangers rivalry

History

Season-by-season results

Connections between the teams

See also

References